Bophelo Impilo School

It has always been known that there is a marked gap between the living and educational standards of South Africa’s upper and middle classes, and the majority of the country. This manifests itself in many areas of achievement, and specifically in student leadership among different schools. Bophelo has always emphatically stated its presence in the City of Johannesburg as a highly productive educational institution, including having a SIX Junior Councillors –one being a Deputy Junior Mayor in 2010/11.
It was during the dark days of black education uprising in the eighties when schooling came to a standstill in our townships. Children were boycotting ‘’Bantu Education’’ schools. The children did not attend school claiming ‘’ Liberation now education later.’’ Bophelo Women as parents, together with the youth and members of the community, organised an education workshop which took place at St. Margaret Catholic Church in Diepkloof, Soweto in September 1988. On the 6th of March 1989 Bophelo Impilo School opened its doors to 200 students at St. Margaret Catholic Church, Diepkloof, Soweto. After three months the school moved to Johannesburg inner city occupying the office building at No. 31 Eloff Street with an increased number of school going children from Grade R to Grade 12.
Ever since then, the school has been operating as a normal Section 21 company, registered as a Non Profit-making Organisation as a community services provider, as well as with the Gauteng Department of Education as a mainstream school for learning from grade R to grade 12. Bophelo Impilo School, as an independent school, has been able to provide education mostly to the underprivileged. However, because of the wonderful popularity that the school received both in terms of its results and various activities within which it partakes, few middle-classes, employed parents started gaining confidence in the school, thus enrolling their children/wards there.
With only funding in terms of only 40% Subsidy form the provincial Education Department and the school fees paid by parents (who can afford), the school has always depended entirely upon that to operate and pay educators their salaries. The school’s survival over the last 22 years has shown that there is much potential and room for development.
As the school has shown much potential in its learners’ leadership and co-curricular activities in the past, since 2009, Bophelo has had several learners representing the Gauteng Province at the National School Debating Championships The school has had, and still has, national and provincial Debaters in its midst. In 2010, three of our prefect leaders were invited to attend the Global Youth Leadership Council in New York and Washington.